FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT COLUMBUS PARK - PAGE 3

It looked a little like Christmas at Columbus Park fieldhouse Monday as thousands of West Side residents trickled out, carrying garbage bags filled with Wheaties, tuna, grapefruit juice and graham crackers over their shoulders. For the second time in eight days, the Chicago Department of Human Services handed out free food to residents hit by power outages. Last week, about 40,000 West Side residents were without electricity for up to three days. On Sunday, 25,000 of them were without power again for up to 7 1/2 hours.

By Rob Karwath and Art Barnum. Reporters Jessica Seigel and Natalie Weinstein contributed to this article | August 6, 1990

The lights were back on within 7 1/2 hours Sunday in West Side neighborhoods hit by the second blackout in eight days caused by a fire at a Commonwealth Edison Co. substation. This time, Edison was able to make quick repairs at its Columbus Park substation, 1010 S. Laramie Ave. A more serious fire July 28 at a substation near the company's Crawford generating plant, 3501 S. Pulaski Rd., knocked out electricity for up to three days to as many as 40,000 residents. But Edison, which advertises that it is "there when you need us" and prides itself in providing reliable service, again incurred the wrath of 25,000 customers, almost all of whom were among the 40,000 hit by last week's blackout.

A is for Austin, that vast and fascinating West Side neighborhood. Osgood and I have spent a lot of time in Austin, meeting some very nice people and seeing signs, especially on its western edges, where it abuts Oak Park, that the area is being revitalized. But it remains a neighborhood not often visited by those from other parts of town, except that hardy breed known as public course golfers. What a shame, for Austin contains one of the great parks in this or any other city, Columbus Park, named for the fellow who many believe discovered America.

I was thrilled to see your article on Columbus Park ["Discovering Columbus," July 6]. I grew up at 742 S. Humphrey Ave. in Oak Park--just a block away from the park. Over the years (I was born in 1942), the park has played such a big part in the lives of our family. When my mom was 19, she went ice skating on the frozen lagoon at the park with three of her neighborhood friends. They met three guys from Berwyn who invited the four of them to a dance the following weekend. They brought along a fourth friend to the dance.

A 25-year-old West Side man was arrested Sunday on charges that he robbed three men, including an associate judge, at gunpoint on the Columbus Park golf course. The golfing threesome-Associate Judge John Morrissey, 44, of Cook County Circuit Court; James Quilter, 42; and Dennis Sheehan, 46-had just finished the fourth hole of the nine-hole Chicago Park District golf course on the Far West Side when they were accosted, police said. The golfers were confronted by a man carrying an automatic pistol who demanded their wallets and jewelry, said Austin District Officer Phyllis Cline.

The Chicago Park District has postponed an expected vote Wednesday on a proposal to turn the DuSable Park area into a parking lot for two years. The 3-acre lakefront site, just north of the mouth of the Chicago River, is not on the agenda of the Park District Board that is to meet at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday at Columbus Park, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd. However, it remains the main topic of discussion at the Aug. 16 meeting of the Grant Park Advisory Committee, a citizen watchdog group.

Almost a century after famous landscape architect Jens Jensen designed Columbus Park as a natural oasis for city dwellers, recognition may come to the West Side jewel. Neglected in the 1970s and '80s, the park has seen a renaissance in the past decade that may culminate soon in its becoming the first Illinois park placed on the elite list of National Historic Landmarks. Alberta Johnson, president of the park's advisory council, said although facets of the park have changed over the years, it still conveys the spirit of the prairie Jensen was striving for. "I once read he wanted the city people to feel the country atmosphere, and I think, in a sense, you do feel that," Johnson said.

Tony and Michael Mangino sat across from each other on cloud-shaped, bright blue plastic benches and swayed side to side as they tested new playground equipment in Morton Grove. The motion was especially soothing for Michael, 10, who has autism. "He loves the swinging back and forth," said Sue Mangino, their mother. "We didn't have much here. It's a big improvement." The Morton Grove Park District recently unveiled the revamped playground at Prairie View Park, a $240,000 project that is one of the first 100 percent handicapped-accessible playgrounds in the northwest suburbs, said Jeff Fougerousse, district director.

South Side residents may enjoy late-evening dips next weekend as the Chicago Park District begins an experimental plan to extend swimming hours at three pools, park district officials say. By Wednesday, the park district hopes to keep the pool at Dvorak Park, 1119 W. Cullerton St., open to 10 p.m. every night. This would add 12 1/2 hours weekly at the pool. Pools now close at 9:30 p.m on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends. Officials said the pool will stay open later as soon as Commonwealth Edison Co. lends poles for temporary lighting.

For the first time, the Grant Park Music Festival this summer will provide buses to transport people from city neighborhoods to three concerts at the new Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park and six others at neighborhood park facilities. James W. Palermo, artistic and general director of the festival, announced the initiative Wednesday at the Park District meeting, at which commissioners approved the district's annual $1.8 million grant to the Grant Park Orchestral Association.